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Pac-12 women's soccer goalies continue to shine

#THURSDAYGOALS… Twelve games this week include a matchup between No. 22 COLORADO at No. 3 STANFORD for #ThursdayGoals on Pac-12 Network on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. PT.

Every team plays a game on Thursday, Oct. 20 and another on Sunday, Oct. 23. No. 22 Colorado has the toughest schedule for the week facing two ranked teams for the only two top-25 matches of the week. The Buffs face No. 3 Stanford on Thursday and No. 10 California on Sunday.

NCAA STATS… The Conference goalies continue to prove their worth with three teams appearing in the top-15 in the nation in shutout percentage: CALIFORNIA is sixth (0.667) and Utah and USC are tied for 10th (0.643). Three schools are also ranked in the top-15 for save percentage: USC is fourth (0.904), California is seventh (0.891), and Colorado is 11th (0.872).

USC’s Sammy Jo Prudhomme is fifth (0.903) in the nation in save percentage with Colorado’s Jalen Tompkins closely following at eighth (0.896) and California’s Emily Boyd at ninth (0.889). Boyd sits at third in the nation in shutouts (10) and Prudhomme is ninth (8).

California’s Emily Boyd was awarded multiple national honors last week. She was the recipient of TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Player of the Week, the NSCAA Player of the Week, and ESPNW’s Player of the Week to compliment her weekly honor of Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week.

Four Pac-12 players appear in the top-5 in the nation in game-winning goals. Utah’s Hailey Skolmoski is second (7) and UCLA’s Darian Jenkins and Colorado’s Taylor Kornieck are tied for eighth (5). All three players are dominant offensive forces on their respective teams, having each won at least one Pac-12 weekly honor this season.

Four teams appear in the top-30 in the nation in goals-against average. California sits at fourth (0.390), USC is 11th (0.498), Utah is 14th (0.554), and Colorado is 27th (0.659).

Although Stanford has suffered a few tough losses, the Cardinal still rank fourth in the nation in won-lost-tied percentage (0.893). Four other teams also rank in the top-25 of the category: California is 11th (0.833), Colorado is 17th (0.800), and USC and Utah are tied for 21st (0.786).

CONFERENCE LEADERS… Colorado sits atop the Conference standings with an impressive 6-0 record. California stays in second, but is tied with Utah with a 5-0-1 Conference record. After suffering a tough loss to USC, Stanford came back to beat Oregon State, but still sits tied with USC at fourth (5-1). Three teams have 12 wins for the season, Colorado (12-3), California (12-2-1), and Stanford (12-1-1).

NSCAA RANKINGS… The Pac-12 Conference has continually had three or more teams in the NSCAA top-25 with Stanford having a strong presence in the top three each week this season, including coming in on top four weeks in a row.

NSCAA rankings features five Pac-12 teams, the most this season, with Stanford leading the Conference staying at No. 3. USC moves up one place to No. 5, California stays at No. 10, UCLA moves up two places to No. 12, and Colorado moves up one place to No. 22. Utah also received votes.

UPSETS… Pac-12 teams reigned victorious over ranked teams in non-conference play, proving their worth, including multiple upsets and notable wins. Most notably, an upset by then-unranked USC over then-No. 8 North Carolina on Sept. 11 and UCLA beating reigning national champion Penn State on Sept. 2.

PAC-12 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK… Stanford’s Averie Collins claimed Offensive Player of the Week, USC’s Savannah Levin claimed Defensive Player of the Week, and her teammate Sammy Jo Prudhomme claimed Goalkeeper of the Week.

NCAA RPI… NCAA RPI rankings has five Pac-12 teams in the top-25 with Stanford at No.2, USC is No. 7, UCLA is No. 10, California is No. 23, and Utah is No. 25.

RETURNING PLAYERS OF THE YEAR… The reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year, Arielle Ship, returns for the Golden Bears this season, as well as USC's Kayla Mills, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and Stanford's Jane Campbell, the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year. Six members of the All-Pac-12 first team and eight members of the All-Pac-12 second team are returning for the coming season.

MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST… Twenty-­eight players from NCAA Division I schools around the country have been marked as potential contenders for the 2016 Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer, presented annually to one male and one female athlete. The Pac-­12 has five representatives on the list: Stanford’s senior Jane Campbell and junior Andi Sullivan, USC’s seniors Kayla Mills and Morgan Andres, along with California’s senior Arielle Ship.

The countdown of Pac­12 Networks’ 850 live event telecasts begin on the pitch with a 68­-game women’s soccer schedule. Each Pac­-12 team appears on the Network at least six times (home or away) in 2016.